❗️ MLB Player Suspended 80 Games

NHL Draft Format Announced, Harden passes Shaq, NFL Coaching changes, and more!

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Sportie Newsletter
January 13, 2026

🏀 Basketball

Kings guard Dennis Schröder suspended 3 games

The NBA today announced that Sacramento Kings guard Dennis Schröder has been suspended three games without pay for confronting and attempting to strike another player.

The incident occurred approximately 40 minutes following the Kings’ 125-101 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Dec. 28 at Crypto.com Arena, when Schröder sought out the player in an arena hallway and initiated the confrontation.

Schröder will begin serving his suspension tomorrow when the Kings host the Houston Rockets at Golden 1 Center.

James Harden passes Shaquille O’Neal for No. 9 on all-time scoring list

Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden made a 3-pointer early in the third quarter on Monday night against the Charlotte Hornets, pushing his career total to 28,598 points in his 1,187th regular-season game. O’Neal had 28,596 points in 1,207 games over 19 years.

“Shaquille O’Neal, somebody that I literally grew up watching here in L.A.,” Harden said. “Him and Kobe (Bryant) doing their thing, winning multiple championships, the most dominant big man in the history of the game. It’s a true honor, it’s a testament to the work that I put in.”

🏒 Hockey

Blue Jackets fire coach Dean Evason, hire veteran Rick Bowness

Dean Evason, who nearly got the Columbus Blue Jackets into the playoffs amid tragedy in 2024-25, is out of a job after the team's slow start.

The Blue Jackets announced on Monday, Jan. 12, that they had fired Evason and were bringing in NHL veteran coach Rick Bowness to replace him. Assistant coach Steve McCarthy also was fired.

“This season has been a frustrating one for all of us, and the bottom line is we are not performing at a level that meets our expectations," general manager Don Waddell said in a statement. "We all share in that responsibility, me included, and while this was not a decision that was made lightly it is one that needed to be made at this time. Dean did a tremendous job last year under extremely difficult circumstances and I thank him for that."

Evason is the first NHL head coach fired this season.

KeyBank Center to host 2026 NHL Draft on June 26 and 27

The Buffalo Sabres will host the decentralized 2026 NHL Draft at KeyBank Center on June 26 and 27, the league announced Monday.

It will be the fourth time Buffalo has hosted the NHL Draft, having previously done so in 1991, 1998 and 2016. KeyBank Center will become the first arena to host the Draft in its decentralized format, which was introduced last year at The Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.

⚾️ Baseball

Free agent outfielder Max Kepler suspended 80 games by MLB following positive drug test

Free agent outfielder Max Kepler was suspended for 80 games on Friday following a positive test for a banned performance-enhancing substance in violation of Major League Baseball’s drug program.

Kepler tested positive for Epitrenbolone, a substance that led to a suspension in 2018 for boxer Manuel Charr. The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency announced the following year that a positive test for the substance caused it to disqualify 90-year-old cyclist Carl Grove from a world record he had set at the 2018 Masters Track National Championship.

🏈 Football

Four NFL teams race to interview Mike McDaniel after he was fired by the Miami Dolphins

After being fired by the Miami Dolphins following another tough season, coach Mike McDaniel is expected to be one of the hottest names on the coaching market.

Within 12 hours after his firing, McDaniel had already reportedly been contacted about the job as the Detroit Lions' offensive coordinator.

But there's still multiple teams who are interested in his services in charge of a team.

According to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, the Cleveland Browns, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens and Tennessee Titans have all lined up interviews for McDaniel.

Cowboys DE Donovan Ezeiruaku arrested over weekend

Dallas Cowboys defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku was arrested Sunday for reckless driving, a class A misdemeanor, according to a statement from the Texas Department of Safety obtained by NFL Media on Monday night.

A Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) trooper initiated a traffic stop late Saturday night, shortly before midnight, after witnessing a vehicle operating recklessly on the Dallas North Tollway in Plano, Texas, according to the statement. The driver, Ezeiruaku, was booked into Collin County Jail (McKinney, Texas).

Ezeiruaku posted bond and was released the same day.